Trigger Finger

Trigger finger is a chronic condition referred to as flexor tendons of the fingers. There are two different flexor tendons for each finger, superficial, and profondous, and the trigger finger affects the profondous tendon. A trigger finger happens, when there is a painful bulb or knot, inside the substance of the flexor tendon, which distorts the smooth excursion of the tendon in its bed. On the other hand, there are some pulleys in the hand, to protect the tendons from bowstringing, during flexion, when the knot reaches the pulley at the metacarpophalangeal joint(palmar side of the knuckles), it sticks under the pulley and makes pain, and a trigger feeling. Again it will happen when it is going back to extension. Trigger finger problem is very common in some metabolic diseases, like Diabetes Mellitus, or Acromegalia, and also it can happen due to trauma, or overuse syndrome. Diagnosis can be made by touching a tender pea-like mass(or smaller), at the palmar side of the MP joint, just proximal to the annular pulley. Treatment: includes invasive methods, like corticosteroid injection, or surgery. The noninvasive method, is the Osteopathic method, for releasing the tendon. In a case involving the flexor tendon of the thumb, this condition will be called, Trigger thumb, and the diagnosis and treatment will be the same. Osteopathy is the most effective and available treatment for chronic pains.